Insider: Massive Changes Coming to Suns

PHOENIX -- Not all is well in the world of the Phoenix Suns - that much has been clear for some time.

The Suns went into Sunday night's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves posting a massively disappointing 28-32 record after making many moves to improve what was seen as a letdown year in 2023-24.

The multiple trades that were made in response to surrounding Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have in turn left the franchise asset-strapped - the shockingly poor direction this season has gone could lead the front office to make some difficult decisions over the summer.

Shams Charania of ESPN broke down what's at stake for the Suns over the final month of the regular season during NBA Countdown ahead of the doubleheader on the network.

From Charania:

“The stakes are high. Unless there’s a significant run here into the playoffs for the Phoenix Suns, league sources believe that there will be real changes in Phoenix coming to the Suns. And from a roster standpoint, that likely starts with Kevin Durant,” he said.

“This offseason, from my understanding, what it would look like is the Suns and Durant would work together on any potential trade to a contender in a trade scenario,”

The general consensus since the trade deadline passed is that Phoenix would be forced to move on from Durant in the summer - as Booker is untouchable and Beal would be unlikely to fetch a requisite return to justify retaining the same roster elsewhere.

Charania believes that several top-level contenders will be interested in Durant - if finding a trade is what the two sides eventually land on.

“I would expect four to six contending teams with some serious involvement in Durant. He’s still playing at a really high level. He’s extension-eligible in the offseason too and as we know with the Jimmy Butler situation, the extension plays a big factor," he wrote.

“But everything with Durant hangs in the balance of not only the Suns and how they compete in the playoffs or not compete in the playoffs, but other teams — which teams get eliminated early, what teams could come about.”

Expect the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and possibly others to be interested - depending on how the rival franchises finish their respective seasons.

The Suns' playoff chances are quickly dwindling, so it feels like the situation will turn into a when and not an if Durant departs the Valley after a little over two years.

Durant's next time in action will be tomorrow night against the slumping Los Angeles Clippers, where he will have a chance to face-off against Kawhi Leonard.